England's Wayne Barnes has been confirmed as the referee for Leinster's clash with Toulon in the Stade Felix Mayol in Marseille.

The barrister is known for his meticulous style and didn't gain many fans among Irish supporters in the defeat to Wales at the Millennium Stadium in the Six Nations this season.

Leinster are already big outsiders for the game as they come up against a Toulon side that has not been beaten in Europe since their Challenge Cup defeat to Biarritz in 2012.

Leinster optimism will also have been dented by their late capitulation against Dragons which saw them cough up a 22-8 lead, before ultimately being beaten 25-22 at Rodney Parade.

It was a demoralising defeat despite the fact that most of Leinster's main players were rested ahead of next Sunday's showdown in the south of France.

The announcement of Barnes' appointment will have done little to quell fears among Leinster fans, even though the last time Wayne Barnes refereed Leinster in a European semi-final they beat Clermont at the Stade Chaban Delmas in Bordeaux.